Apparatus for the manufacture of bricks.



No. 676,249. Patented lune H, mm. J. P. B. FISKE.

ARPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

' (No Model.)

Ctr: P

Wm ii Patented lune ll, I90l. J. P. B. FISKE.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE-0F BRICKS.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.) v

, 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Q) \llHt 55 00 w 0 O O O O O- No. 676,249. Patented June H, mm.

- J. P. B. FISKE.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS.

' (Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN P. B. FISKE, OF NEWVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,249, dated June 11, 1901. Application filed November 27, 1899. Serial No. 738,35L- (NwmodeL) "To to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN P. B. FISKE, I

a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newton, county of Middlesex, State of Mass'achusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Bricks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of bricks.

My invention is embodied in a plant of the continuous-kiln variety and includes a special heating system or means for circulating,

fire and hot air whereby the bricks are first properly and quickly dried in relatively small and isolated quantities and are then quicklyandevenlyburned. Asherein shown, I provide a continuous kiln having a plurality of chambers arranged in line with eachother and provided with means for admitting fuelthereto, and with overhead smoke-fines for the heat communication with a central stack, so that the fire from the burning-chamber is,

compelled to rise on one side through the bricks,descend on the other side therethrough,

pass under the separating-wall to the next chamber, where it repeats the same movement, and thence through the next chamber,

and so on until it reaches the outlet-flue, whence itis conveyed through the top of that chamber to the exhaust-fine leading to the:

stack, and meanwhile those chambers which have been burned and are cooling off are provided at the rear endof the series with an outlet-fine communicating with a hot-air flue preferably on the side of the kiln opposite the smoke-flue, said hot-air flue leading to the driers, and the hot air having passed longitudinally through such of the driers as desired is then carried out of the stack.

The constructional details of my in vention;

tshowing a plant embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 showsthe same in side elevation. Fig.

3 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 4: is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4 at, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan View showing two of the burning-chambers with the covers broken away. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the kiln. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail of one of the removable fines. Fig. 8 shows a portion of the cover lifting device, the beams of the cover or top of the kiln being shown in cross-section. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of one of the covers, said figure indicating also the relative positions of the adjacent covers. Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 15 15, Fig. 14. Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line 11 11, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional in general a brick-making machine a, of any approved or preferred kind, a cutter a for cutting the bricks, and a separating-belt (0 from which, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, the bricks are taken by hand or other means and placed on a settingup stand a whencethey are carried, preferably, by an overhead crane a and lifting means (t (the latter not being herein described or shown in detail,'as it'constitutes the subject-matter of another application) and deposited on receiving-beds (t of driers. At the opposite ends of the drier I provide openings 0, a, communicating with passages 0 0. herein shown as under ground and extending transversely of the driers, the former of these passages a constituting a hot-airsupply passage and the latter passage or leading from the drier to the stack 8. Cooperating with the openings at? a are removable covers 0. provided with suitable means for lifting them oif, herein shown in the form of 95 hooks a, that would receive lifting devices from the overhead crane. When the rack or receiving-bedof a drier has been filled with its complement of green bricks, the cover is put in place and the hot air arises from the passage (1. through the opening a and is forced rapidly through the drier, lengthwise thereof, and out through the opening a and the passage a to the stack, this constant circulation in a confined area serving to rapidly and uniformly dry the bricks. When the cover is not in place, the openings 01, a are maintained closed. I regard this drier feature of my invention as entirely novel and of much value, inasmuch as it does away with the building of any walls or superficial structure and requires onlya minimum outlay for the plant, inasmuch as the covers may be used interchangeably for any of the driers, and may thereby be kept in continuous use, being simply removed from a dried stack of bricks and placed over a fresh supply of green bricks stacked on another rackwhile construction is exceedingly cheap, and when the immense outlayrequired for a large brick plant is considered this feature becomes of vital importance, inasmuch as the extreme. .cost of most of the plants heretofore sug- .gested have been prohibitive of their adoption. Moreover, this invention cooperates admirably with the handling of bricks byan overhead crane, and inasmuch as the latter is the only means at present known to me for handling bricks in great quantities with extreme rapidity and facility it becomes of great importance to provide a drier whichshall not interfere with the overhead handling of bricks, but shall instead thereof make the latter more feasible, economical and convenient.

' -Refe'rring now to Figs. at to 12, in which the stantially the same as the cleats already ex-' plained in connection with the driers, and the walls a and transverse walls or partitions (See Figs. 4: and 6.)

connecting with a main flue provided in the: heated wall of the kiln itself, said heated wall 65.

ployed in the most advanced plants.

stead, however, of depending for the fire circulation and draft upon a fire-outlet at the fi gall-as found in general in continuous kilns, the partition-walls havingopenings or fire-passages'ct along their lower. portions.

, Each chamber is provided with fuel-supply holes 08 through its top 0,

As thus far described the kiln does not dif-' fer materially from those heretofore em lower corners of the chambers leading/to a cold and usually damp underground main flue connecting with the stack, as heretofore employed, which not only has resulted in drawing'the heat to thecorners of the chambers, leaving the center improperly burned; but has proved still more seriously inefficient because of theinvariably poor draft resulting from coldness-and generally the dampness of-the main flue so located, I employ .a

plurality of overhead exits distributed across the width of the kiln at frequent intervals not only being entirely out of the-influence of the cold earth and dampness, but being kiln itself is constructed with longitudinal necessarily-hot, and thereforeonthis account accelerating the draft.

The distribution of the heat by reason of the numerous exits in connection with the partition-walls results in a uniform and rapid burnin g of the bricksin all parts of the chamber, the heat being compelled to pass downwardly from one chamber to the next, and then rising by its natural law and passing over horizontally through the kiln to the opposite side, and downwardly under the next partition, and finally out through the outlet-pipe,

as clearly shown in Fig; 6. the previous stack was being dried. This vided with depending branches a located atintervals corresponding to the fuel-openings a and the latter. (see Fig. 7) contain thimbles or linings having annular openings of to receive the lower ends ofsaid branches (1 and the outer end a of the pipe at fits similarly into an annular groove 0. of the openinga leading to the main passage or smoke-flue a. All these openings are closed when not in use by removable caps 01, and the pipe 0, has hooks or other means a for its ready removal by means of the overhead crane. I do not herein makeany claim to any of thesedetails of construction of the kiln taken separately, inasmuch as I have pre ferred to make use of the materialsat hand, my invention not residing in these per se, but rather in the novelarrangement and combina tion'thereoflwherby uniform and rapid burning is secured, as already fully explained.

In order to have. the main passages or smoke-fines a in the wall of the kiln, I make the kiln-cover a removable for the insertion of the. charge of bricks, said cover being shown in detail in Figs. 8 to 12.

Along the tops of the partition-walls n I secure a'U -beam or channel-iron (1 (see Fig.

v12,) on which .rest the projecting ends 60 of transverse I-beams a when the cover is in position, said I-beams being secured together by any suitable means, preferably by bolts 'a and spacing-sleeves a, Fig. 10, and retaining by their lower flanges lire-clay blocks 0 the'under sides of the I-beams being probelow the I-beams, as is clearly shown in Fig.

12, and the channel-irons 01 constitute a wall parallel to the sideof the cover for receiving as'mall amount of sand (1 which seals the cover against the possible loss of heat at the joint between the edges thereof and the top of thekiln, while at the ends of the kilnchamber a flange or raised portion a is built up for the end I-beams to rest upon.

In order that the kiln-covers may be expeditiously removed by an overhead crane without varying the adjustment of the crane, I

arrange the I-beams obliquely to the kilnchamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, so that the opposite ends of a particular I-beam are out of alinement with the length of the kiln, thereby enabling successive covers to have the projecting ends of their I-beams in identical arrangement on the partition-walls, the

adjacent ends of the I-beams of successive covers alternating in position along the common supporting-wall therefor. The lifting means for these covers is shown in Fig. 8 and consists of two beams a", (one only being shown in the drawings, as both are identical,)

and from the lower flanges of each beam at depend hooks a, said hooks preferably comprising two parts or stems a, as shown in Fig. 12, having theirlowerhooked ends welded together to constitute a single hook at for engaging the lower side of the beams a Each beam at is provided with a hook for each projecting end of one side of the removable cover of a kiln-chamber, said hooks being spaced apart to correspond to the spacing of the I-beams, and the two beamsct of the lifter are carried in any suitable manner, as

by chains (r 1, depending from the overhead crane, it being understood that the hooks a are spaced apart and disposed along the two lifting-beams 00 to correspond exactly with the arrangement of the I beams ofthe cover, as already explained, so that as the chains G51 of the two beams 64 are lowered they come into correct position for engaging all the projecting ends of the cover simultaneously, and thereby lifting the cover steadily and accurately without any possibility of distortion or twisting.

.It is apparent that in a cover built up as mine is it would be disastrous to have any twisting or unevenness of the lifting thereof, and yet it is exceedingly difficult to make all the hooks a of precisely the same length, and therefore I have not only made them bifurcated or provided withthe two parts at, so that they will tend to maintain the beams a exactly upright and will themselves have no tendency to sway or bend, butI have also fine a I provide a hot-air passage or flue 0 having openings a in its upper side similar to the openings (1 in the passage 0, and adapted to receive a hot-air pipe a similar in construction to the pipe 01. already explained, and cooperating with the passage a in precisely the same manner as the pipe a cooperates with the passage or, this passage C653 communicating with the passage a of the drier.

In use the bricks, having been formed by by the separating-belt a and placed by boys or otherwise in properly-stacked position on the setting-up stand a are then taken by the lifter a and deposited in suitable stack formation on the racks a, whereupon the caps a are removed from the openings 0. a and a cover (1 is brought by the crane and put in position over the stack of green bricks. Thereupon the heat from, let us suppose, the last chamber at the right, Fig. 1, (which is shown as cooling,) ascends through the openings a of the cover into the pipe at and thence down through the hot-air flue or passage a into the passage c0 of the drier and up through the opening a circulating throughout the length of the confined space within the cover a, so as uniformly to dry all the green bricks therein, thence down through the passage (1 and out through the passage 0. to the stack 8. The green bricks, having been properly dried, are then carried by a crane to one of the empty kiln-chambers, (next to the chamber at the extreme left, Fig. 1, for instance,) and this chamber having been filled with a stack of dried bricks a crane brings up a cover (1 and lowers it into position on the channel-irons 0. the hooks c0 of the coverlifting device being readily lowered into the grooves of the channel-irons a, so as to be disengaged from the ends of the beams a of the cover and removed. Then the pipe a is moved forward from-its last position to the chamber next ahead of the onej ust filled and is put in place over the openings 01 of the cover and the opening (L33 of the smoke-passage 0t thereof, so that the bricks in the last-filled chamber are water-smoked by the waste heat from the burning-chamber at the rear, said heat being forced through the bricks in the successive chambers in the thorough manner indicated in Fig.6 and passing out through the smoke-passage to the stack. hen these bricks are heated nearly to the burning temperature, coal is poured down through the openings 61 in the top of the chamber and the burning completed. Meanwhile the previously-burned chambers, which are in process of cooling off, are connected with the hotair passage a for feeding the drier through the passage a with heated air for drying more green bricks, and thus the process is continued endlessly.

While Lhave herein shown and described one embodiment of my apparatus and have set forth various advantages thereof, I wish it understood that I am not limited to the details herein set forth, inasmuch as very many changes in arrangement and construction may .be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I do not, therefore, limit myself otherwise than as hereinafter expressed in the claims.

The firing is done through the openings a the bottom of the kiln beneath said openings being smooth to give a free and open distribution of the fuel for complete combustion thereof and to facilitate the'ready removal of i the ashes after the burning.

tion of the drier and the lifting device, as

these will be made the subject-matter of other 1 applications.

as arranged and in combination for removal purposes, the said I-beams being free to rest on top of the main wall of the kiln, said construction permitting ready and convenient sealing of the cover, the latter feature, however, being elaborated more fully in a copen'd ing application, Serial No. 46,330, wherein the combinations, advantages,and further details of construction are claimed, the same not beinghe'rein claimed, because in the present case, so far as relates to the cover, it is my desire to make prominent particularly the removing feature and construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S

1. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a drying-kiln and burning-kilnhaviug a common flue extending longitudinally thereof at one side thereof, openings from said flue into the driers, and other openings from said flue into the chambers of the burning-kiln, and removable means for connecting said fluewith said chambers, and removable means for-"connecting said flue with said drier, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a drying-kiln and burning-kiln having a comm on d ue extending longitudinallythereof at one side thereof, openings from 'said flue into the driers, and other openings from said flue into the chambers of the burning-kiln,

and removable means for connecting said flue with said chambers, an outlet-flue at the op- 3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln having side walls inclosinga plurality of chambers separated by partition walls, tops for said chambers, a smoke-flue built in one of said walls, fire-passages in the bottom of said partition-walls, a plurality of openings through thetops'o'f said chambers, openings in the top of said smoke flue corresponding to said openings in the tops of said chambers, and a removable pipe having branch openings communicating with said top openings of a chamber, and with an opening of said smoke-flue, and independent cove ers for closing the openings when not in use, substantially as described.

4:. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln having side Walls in closing'a plurality of chambers separated by partition-walls, tops for said chambers, a

evefaae smoke-flue built in one of said walls, tire-passages in the bottom of said partition-walls, a

, plurality of openings through the tops of said I do not herein claim the specific construcchambers, openings in the top of said smokefl ue corresponding to said openings in the tops of said chambers, and a removable pipe havin g branch openings communicating with said It will be observed that in the drawings I have shown the fireproofing of the cover or crown as terminating short of the ends of the I-beams and have claimed the same broadly top openings of a chamber and with an opening of said smoke-flue, independent covers for closing the openings when not in use, and means for lifting said pipe, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for themanufa'cture of bricks, a burning-kiln having side walls, a plurality of partition-walls extending between said side walls forming chambers therewith, tops for said chambers, a smoke-flue being formed in one of said sidewalls, and a hotair flue being formed in the other of said walls, fire-passages through the lower parts of said partition-walls, openings in the tops of said smoke-flue and hot air flue and in the tops of said chambers, a removable pipe having openin gs cooperating with the openings in the tops of said chambers and said smoke-flue, a second removable pipe having openings communicating'with the openings in the tops of said chambers and said hot-air flue, and a drier supplied by said hot-air flue, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for themanufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln having flues formed in itsside walls, combined with'a removable top or cover resting on said wall, and containing fuel-supply holes, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln containing a chamber, supports on the tops of the walls of said chamber for a removable top or cover, two of said supports having upwardly-opening grooves .over which said cover. may rest, and a cover for said'chamber, said cover having a plurality-of supporting-beams provided with ends extending beyond the body of the cover to rest oversaid grooves, substantially as described.

posite side of said drier, and removable means at said d'riers for connecting said two flues, substantially as described.

8. In a burning-kiln for bricks, a cover comby said beams and surrounding the lower sides of said beams, said beams having free projectingends beyond said fireproof material,

substantially as described.

9. A kiln or kiln-chamber having at the top of two of its opposite walls a channel member,

combined with a removable top or cover adapted to rest upon the top edges of said channel member, whereby a grooved opening is left in said channel member beneath the cover resting thereon, for the reception of devices for removing the cover, substantially as described.

10. A kiln or kiln-chamber, a removable said cover, the latter having projecting portions extending freely over said supporting means with a free space beneath said proj ecting portions and means cooperating with said projecting portions for lifting the cover, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a kiln-chamber, of a removable cover having freely-proj ecting portions extending at opposite sides with a clear space beneath them when the cover is resting in operative position, and means cooperating with said projecting portions for the removal of the cover, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a kiln or kilnchamber, of a removable cover composed of a plurality of supporting-beams extending across said cover and having their opposite ends out of alinement with the length of the kiln, said beams being secured together, fireproof material supported thereby, the ends of said beams extending freely beyond the fireproof material, substantially as described.

13. A cover for a kiln or kiln-chamber composed of beams secured together and supporting a body of fireproof material, said beams in their intermediate supporting portions having flanges and at their ends having thickened webs Without flanges, substantially as described.

14. A cover for a kiln or kiln-chamber composed of beams secured together and sup porting a body of fireproof material, said beams in their intermediate supportingportions having flanges and at their ends having thickened Webs without flanges, combined with a lifting device having opposite beams provided-With depending hooks spaced apart to correspond with the ends of said beams, substantially as described.

15. A cover for a kiln or kiln-chamber ,composed of beams secured together and supporting a body of fireproof material, said beams in their intermediate supporting portions having flanges and at their ends having thickened webs without flanges, combined with a lifting device having opposite beams provided with depending hooks spaced apart to correspond with the ends of said beams, and means for accurately adjusting all of said hooks to the same length, substantially as described.

16. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln having an integrallyremovable top or cover resting on the walls of the kiln and having fuel-supply holes in said cover, substantially as described.

17. In an apparatus for the manufacture of bricks, a burning-kiln having a series of cleats extending transversely of the kiln-chamber partially across the same for supporting the bricks to be burned in stack formation thereof, the bottom of the kiln at one side thereof beyond said cleats being smooth to receive fuel for burning the bricks, combined with means for permitting the depositing of fuel directly in the kiln-chamber on said smooth portion of the bottom thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JONATHAN P. B. FISKE. 

